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Alaalatoa said on Friday Wallabies players held Schmidt in high esteem and hoped he would stay in their camp through to the tournament, which is being hosted by Australia.
“The boys do respect him so much, and we are hoping that he stays involved with us. It doesn’t have to be the Wallabies, but Australian rugby behind the scenes,” Alaalatoa said.
Joe Schmidt is respected by Wallabies players.Credit: Getty Images
“Because what he’s done for our team in a short period of time has been massive. I think he’d only make positive movements for us in Australian rugby as a whole if he’s involved in some capacity.”
After Tony Brown also ruled himself out last week by reiterating his commitment to the Springboks through to the World Cup, Schmidt politely side-stepping the contest for the All Blacks job appears to leave a race in two, between another ex-Wallabies coach in Rennie, and Joseph, the ex-Japan and Highlanders coach.
Reports in New Zealand at the weekend said NZR, which is also still searching for a new chief executive following the exit of Mark Robinson, will likely announce more detail on their coach recruitment process on Monday.
It is unclear what Schmidt’s next coaching move will be after the World Cup, but NZR is also reportedly keen to get the experienced coach back in some capacity, likely as a senior coach for the All Blacks and/or in the broader NZR high-performance system. The highly respected Wayne Smith is reportedly leaving a similar role next year.
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In reality, this was always a more likely scenario, given Schmidt replacing Robertson as All Blacks coach this year would have required a highly unusual transition, as he would not be available during their three Tests against France, Ireland and Italy in July.
Schmidt has also been linked with a return to Ireland, however, where is still feted after taking the Irish national team to No.1 in the world, and where he still has family. Former Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber comes off contract at Leinster midway through 2027 and Schmidt’s name has also been linked to a return to the powerhouse province, which he coached between 2011 and 2014.
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